The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1887-03-17
Cardinal Gibbons, Rcport

nal Manning all support Cardinal Gibbons
(, The pope himself, it is said, favors the aspira
lions of modern labor
Cardinal Gibbons Report
Cardinal Gibbons report, a brief synopsis 0
which has already been in the Morning Herald
is addressed to Cardinal Simeoni, perfect of The
Holy Congregation of The Propaganda. The
substance OF 1T. as printed in the New Yock
| Herald, is as follows
! Your Enatnence-1n submitting to the Holy See
| the conclusions which, after several months OF
| observation and deep reflection, seem to me to
| sum up the question of the association of til e
knigt Us of Labor, am strongly Convinced of
the vast importance ct this question, which
forms but one ring in the eat chain of the So
cial problems of our day, and especially Of our
country. InJudging this question have ta-
ken great care to use as my constant guide the
spirit of the encyclicalS in which our Holy
Father Pope Leo XIII, has SO admirably ex-
posed the dangers of our times and their rene
dies. and has explained the principles by
which we shall be guided IN distinguishing the
associations condemned by the Holy See.
Such also We're the guides OF the Third Pienary
Council Of Baltimore in its teachings about to
be avoided by The faithful in the formation of
associations toward which the spirit of our
popular inst1tu ions so strongly impels.
Considering the fatal consequences that
might result through error in the treat M e ut
of the organizations, the council wisely order
ed that when an association had spread into
several dioceSeS no single bishop of those do
ces may condemn it, but must refer the case to
the permanent commission of all the archbi3n-
ops of the United States, who in their tnrn are
not authorized to issue condemnation unless
their decision is unanimous, and in default OF
such unan1nity only the Holy st Itself Goa
impose such condem nation, SO that and
confusion in ecclesiastical discipline may
avoided. This commission of III chblshups ,iet
towards the END Of October last. Alter discus
sion only two of The twelve archbishops, those
OF st. Louis and Sante Fe. voted for contienl-
nation of the order.
Although there may be found in the ccnsti-
tuition, the bylaws and official declarations Of
the Knights of Labor certain assertions reg
ulations which We might not approve, we have
not found therein the elements which the iio-
~ see 50 clearly desisnates as condemnatory,
and the formula OF their organization contains
neither oath nor obligation which precluues
those who do not belong to it or even their en-
emies, from becomiL g acquainted with their af-
fairs. Catholics are not forbidden to dlvuge ev-
ryth1ng to competent ecclesiastical AUTHORITIES,
even outside of the Confessional Not only
their object and their rules are not hostile to
religion or the church, tut the very contrary
The Third Plenary Council forbids that we
should condemn any association without CIV
ing its officers or fep1 esentatives a hearing.
Their master workman in sending me O. copy of
their constructor q, took occasion te " that he
processes his religion faithfully and receives
the sacrament regularly that he belongs to no
Masonic Association. or to any otherwise con
de1nned by the church; that he knows of moth
ing in the society OF the Knights OF Labor con-
trary to the regulations of the church, aud
with f1lal submission he bags the pastors of
the church to examine all the details OF their
organization, and saying that If they ind IT, ere
IN any thing reprehensible 10 point them out
proper notifications made.
Not only their constitution and regulations |
contain nOInlng OF the sort, but the heads of |
our civil authorities treat them and the cause
they represent with the greatest respect. The
PRESIDENT OF the United states told me person.
ally month ago that he had under consid-
alton law tending to remedy certain social
grievances, and that he had just had a confer
ence with Mr.. Powderly the general master
workman OF the knights of Labor on the sub
ject. The Congress OF the United states follow
ing the advice of the President is now consid-
ering measures tending to ameliorate the con-
dition OF the working class, the foundation for
many OF whose complaints is openly acknowl-
edged. Ana the political parties, far from look
ing upon them as enemies OF the county vie
with each other to obtain for them the rights
to which they are SC clearly entitled
The cardinal then proceeds to recite the
wrongs done by monopol1es, their heartless av-
arice, their corruption OF legislators, their All.
tagonism to liberty, and argues that humanity
and justice demand that the workingman shall
have right to organize for his protection. He
to doubt The legitimacy of the means OF resist
ance employed and the remedies applied by
the knights of Labor.
ns and organizations of parties inter
ested Is the best means of attaining any public
ton to the end desired. He refers to the tiIial
with which the Catholics have re-
NAMED ontof the Masonic organization, a fra
unite S bold Employer and employed in frater-
nifty very advantageous to the latter.bu which
has scarcely one Catholic in it's ranks. He ap-
peals to the church to beware OF getting herself |
branded as un-Amelican sand reminds the
Propaganda that the greatest and grandest title
of the church to The love and devotion of Amer
cans lies above all these things in her being
1.-The friend of the people,
The cardinal closes:
TO sum up. 1t seems to me plain that tn
Holy see cannot entertain The proposal to con-
denim the association
First-Because such a condemnation does r OF
appear to be justide either by the letter Or by
the spirit of its constitution, OF Its law or by
the declaration of it's head
Second-That such a condemr alton does not
appear necessary In view OF the transient form
OF the organization and of the social condition
OF the United States.
Third-That it would not be prudent on
account of the reality of the wrongs of the
and the TACT that the existence Of
such is.admtted by the American public.
of the church in our democratic
cOuntry.
Fifth-That it would be powerless to compel |
the obedience of our Catholic workingmen, who |
would regard it as false and Ubiquitous.
SiXth-That it would sbe destructive instead |
the church to rebel against their mother and to
range themselves with condemned societies,
which they have hitherto avoied
Seventh-1hat il would be ruinous to the fl
nancial support of the church at home and TO |
the raising OF Peters pence.
Eighth-That it would turn into doubt and |
hostility the marked devotion OF our people to-
ward the Holy See.
Ninth-That it would be regarded as cruel |
blow to the authority of the bishops OF The
United States, who, it is well known, protests
ag8lnstS such condemnation
l trust that the considerations here presented |
have SHOWN sufficiently clearly that euch |
would be the results of the condem alton Of |
the Knights of Labor OF the United states. |
Therefore L leave this cause with full conf |
dence i'll the wisdom and prudence of your EN- |
lnence and OF the Holy see.